Teenager who was caught burgling Northampton house avoids jail and told to ‘knuckle down’

Callum Jones

A teenager who was caught in the act of burgling a house in Northampton has avoided a jail sentence.

Jerry Connors, aged 19, was caught with two other youths inside a property in the Thorplands area on January 19 last year.

Northampton Crown Court heard the owner of the house was on holiday when the three teenagers broke in.

A neighbour saw the three youths and called police. Officers arrested all three inside the property.

The court heard an “untidy search” of the premises had been carried out and a mattress had been upturned and carpet pulled up.

Connors pleaded guilty to burglary and also to failing to attend court in August last year.

He has been in custody for the past two months after being arrested on March 16. The court heard Connors, of Great Meadow, Blackthorn, Northampton, had 11 convictions for 14 offences and had also committed a number of disciplinary incidents in custody.

His Honour Judge Mayo sentenced Connors to a two-year community order, including 85 hours unpaid work and a four-month curfew from 9pm to 6am.

Judge Mayo said: “Over the next two years you must knuckle down and do what you are told by the probation service.

“Any failure to do that and you will come back here for sentencing.”

The two other defendants in the case failed to appear at court and a warrant was issued for their arrest.